Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekcadena’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Dekcadena’, characterized by its anemone-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets and red purple-colored disc florets; strong and upright flowering stems; freely flowering habit; early and uniform flowering response; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Dekcadena’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dekcadena’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely flowering anemone-type Chrysanthemum cultivars with unique ray floret coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on Oct. 26, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 03.7872.01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 41411, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on Apr. 24, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since May 21, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dekcadena’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dekcadena’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Small anemone-type inflorescences with white-colored ray         florets and red purple-colored disc florets.     -   2. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Early and uniform flowering response; plants flower about 40         days after the start of photoinductive treatments.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance         for about 27 days in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more freely flowering         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller leaves than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more freely flowering         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of         the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Deklindipink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,435. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Deklindipink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had anemone-type         inflorescences where plants of ‘Deklindipink’ had single-type         inflorescences.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger ray florets than         plants of ‘Deklindipink’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Deklindipink’ differ in         ray floret color as plants of ‘Deklindipink’ had soft         pink-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Dekcadena’ grown as a spray type.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of upper and lower surfaces of typical inflorescences (left) and typical leaves (right) of plants of ‘Dekcadena’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about 7 kilolux. Plants were pinched one time and were about eight weeks from planting when the photographs and the description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekcadena’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             03.7872.01, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 41411,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four to six days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 13 to 15 days at             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance/growth habit.—Herbaceous anemone-type cut flower             that is typically grown as a spray-type. Moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About             60 cm. Spray diameter: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to             7 mm. Number of lateral branches: About 15. Lateral branch             length: About 12 cm to 22 cm. Lateral branch diameter: About             3 cm to 6 cm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.             Texture: Finely pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color:             Close to 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 4 cm to 8 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to 4 cm. Apex:             Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed; sinuses             divergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent,             slightly rough; veins prominent on lower surface. Venation             pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Developing foliage,             upper surface: Close to 137C. Developing foliage, lower             surface: Close to 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 147C. Fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             146B. Petiole: Length: About 5 mm to 15 mm. Diameter: About             1 mm to 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly             rough. Color, upper surface: Close to 147C. Color, lower             surface: Close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Anemone-type inflorescence form with             spoon-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals,             arising from leaf axils. Ray and disc florets develop             acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences moderately             fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early and uniform flowering             response; plants exposed to two weeks of long day/short             night conditions after planting followed by photoinductive             short day/long night conditions flower about 40 days later             when grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,             inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and             substance for about 27 days. Inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit; when             grown as a spray type, about 70 inflorescences per flowering             stem develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 2 cm. Depth (height):             About 8 mm. Disc diameter: About 8 mm. Receptacle height:             About 3 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 145B.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Flattened spherical. Height:             About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 8 mm to 10 mm. Width: About 3 mm             to 4 mm. Shape: Spoon-shaped. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire. Angle: Initially upright to close to             perpendicular to the peduncle. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number per             inflorescence: About 25 arranged in one to two whorls.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             155D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, enlarged. Apex: Dentate.             Length: About 6 mm to 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 2 mm.             Number per inflorescence: About 125 in numerous whorls.             Color: Immature: Apex: Close to 58A. Mid-section: Close to             155D. Base: Close to 145B. Mature: Apex: Close to 72D.             Mid-section: Towards the apex, close to 155D; towards the             base, close to 154A. Base: Close to 145C.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Width: About             2 mm to 4 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse to             truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Number per inflorescence: About 25             arranged in three whorls. Color, upper surface: Close to             143A. Color, lower surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm             to 1.5 mm. Angle: Erect to about 30° from vertical.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146A to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets. Style length: About             3 mm. Style color: Close to 154D. Stigma color: Close to 4D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekcadena’ as illustrated and described. 